Taken Bride (The Secret Bride 3)

“We aren’t going with you,” Violet blurts.

Ember gasps, and I see tears well in her eyes instantly.

“But before you get upset or try to talk us out of it, I want you to hear us out,” Holly cuts in, walking over to Ember and placing a hand on her arm. “Listen. Please.”

“Our mother and father made a decision when we were children to live off the grid. They homeschooled us and taught us to live off the land. Our pa wasn’t always a bad man, but when our mother died, he died too… or at least his spirit did. It got ugly then. Our life got really ugly. But the one thing Violet and I had was the beauty around us. We could see what our mother saw. We could love what she did. We could live the life she always dreamed of. She wanted us to live like this, and for the most part, we loved it too.”

“But Scarecrow,” Ember interrupts.

“Yes, he’s awful,” Violet says. “Which is why we aren’t going to stand in your way of reporting him and Richard to the authorities. We actually hope you do so we never have to see him again. We want him to rot in jail for everything.”

“So, what we are going to do is leave and find a hunting shack we know exists nearby. We will hole up there until after Richard and Scarecrow return and are hopefully arrested. In which time, Violet and I will return to the chapel—our home—and live off the land. We know how. We want to know how.”

“Then I stay too,” Ember blurts, which rips at my soul.

Holly shakes her head. “No, Ember. You belong with Christopher.”

“We see that,” Violet says with a warm smile. “We see how much you both love each other.”

“But I love you both too,” Ember argues, tears falling freely now.

“Then you come and visit,” Holly offers. “Once everything settles and it’s safe for you to do so. And who knows, maybe someday, Violet and I will want to leave this mountain, and it will be nice to know we have a place to visit as well.”

“What if I find us a place in the mountains?” I suggest. “I could buy us some land, build a house—”

“We want to stay here,” Violet says, her eyes stealing a glance at Isaac, who stands by and watches. “We have a good friend nearby, and we don’t want to leave him.”

“You’re injured,” Ember points out, swiping at the tears on her face. I can see her sadness is morphing into anger. “You both just experienced an awful ordeal and aren’t thinking straight. It’s winter! You don’t have enough supplies, you can barely keep up with the firewood, and this chapel doesn’t even have a completed or functioning chimney! I need you both to stop and think with your minds… not your hearts. I get it. You’re scared.”

“We’re not leaving this mountain,” Holly presses. “I’m sorry.”

Ember whips her head toward me and then to Isaac. “Say something! Convince them that this is just another suicide attempt. You will die in some hunting shack while you wait out the winter!”

Isaac nods. “Ember’s right. You can’t leave here and go live in a shack. I know this mountain, and the closest hunting shack is still two miles away from here, and there’s no way Violet can make it in her condition. Not to mention, there are no resources to live off of during this time of year.”

“See!” Ember squeaks as she returns her attention to Holly and Violet. “Even Isaac believes you should leave with us.”

“No,” Isaac says calmly. “I didn’t say that. I understand why they don’t want to leave. I get why they want to keep this chapel and this land, but I don’t agree with hiding out in the hunter’s shack.” He walks to Violet and squats down next to her so he can look her directly in the eyes. “I’d like to suggest that you and your sister come stay with me. At least until Richard and Scarecrow are no longer a threat. I have room, and I have the supplies to last us through the winter. I can also care for your leg during your mend.”

Tears form in Violet’s eyes, and she shakes her head. “I can’t ask that of you. You’ve already done so much for us.”

“I wouldn’t be offering if I didn’t want to.”

“We know you like your privacy,” Holly says. “We can’t impose.”

“You can, and you will,” he says more firmly. He then turns to look at Ember and me. “I can take good care of them until we get the news that all is safe and those men are gone.”

I nod and look at Violet, who is staring at Isaac as she silently cries. I then look at Holly and ask, “Is this something you would want? I’d feel better leaving you with Isaac. In fact, I think it’s the only way I’ll agree to not taking you both with us.”